the use of government funds for private projects. These projects usually benefit campaign contributers or a certain constituency. the pork is usually earmarked to appropriations bills, so that they will be guaranteed passage in Congress.

A highway bill in 2005 was filled with pork barrel politics, including more than $900 million for private projects in Alaska.
The 2007 Defense and Homeland Security Appropriations Act included over $13 billion in pork.